the main Bleak Underwater Caves Park (Florida). Cenotes - underwater caves in Mexico Underwater caves of the world

Underwater Caves Park (Florida). Cenotes - underwater caves in Mexico Underwater caves of the world

It is ranked among the most extreme types of underwater diving, requiring particularly careful preparation and the availability of appropriate equipment.

The difficulty of cave diving is, first of all, that, if necessary, a quick rectilinear ascent to the top, as in the case, is simply impossible. To begin with, you will have to spend time getting out of the cave, and given that visibility in such cases is far from the best and can suddenly deteriorate, it is easy to lose your bearings and get lost. It is good if the supply of oxygen is sufficient to reach the surface. Otherwise, diving into underwater caves can end very sadly.

That is why cave diving requires a thorough basic and specialized training and is only suitable for experienced divers. Cave diving can be thought of as a stepping stone to the art of scuba diving, but it requires a serious 4-level training course to get there. It should be noted that only those who have a basic level of training not lower than Advanced Open Water Diver are allowed to study. The course of study will certainly include the peculiarities of laying a route inside the caves and getting to the surface in conditions of zero visibility.

Cave diving facilities

There is a special classification of caves that may be of interest to cave divers.

Coral caves formed by outgrowths of corals, soldered with limestone blocks. They can be of various lengths, depths and ramifications. The longest caves of this type are found in the Red Sea.

Glacial caves formed in the process of ice melting at the edge of the glacier. They are distinguished by bizarre shapes and are the most beautiful, but at the same time such caves are the most dangerous for diving.

Sea caves formed as a result of the impact of surf, tides, ebbs and other water currents. They are usually shallow, but the most beautiful, and therefore are most often visited by divers. Most of these caves are found in the Dominican Republic, which can be called a true paradise for lovers of cave diving.

Karst caves the most common and most frequently visited. They are of a wide variety. If the dry sections of such caves are usually explored, then their flooded parts are the least studied and still await their discoverers. Some of the more famous caves of this type are Florida Caves and Mexican Cenotes, which are especially popular with cave divers. This type also includes various sinkholes and mines flooded with water (for example, the Marble quarry in Karelia).

Cave diving safety

True connoisseurs of water extreme choose cave diving as their dives. So that this water does not turn out to be with sad consequences, it is important to follow all the rules for such dives.

Basic rules. - It is worth remembering that when diving in caves, all actions must be carried out in a strictly horizontal position. Divers who dive into underwater caves should not have any hanging elements that can easily catch on the sharp edges of the caves, and all equipment should be securely fastened to avoid losing it in a collision with some kind of obstacle. A knife and a sling cutter are required. And one of the main rules of cave divers is that when unforeseen situations arise, it is especially important to maintain control and not give in to panic.

A reliable reference point. - Caves rarely have direct entrances. In order to navigate faster in such a dive, it is necessary to use reliable reference lines, which will make it possible to find a way out faster and easier if necessary. The guide wire must be strong and not tangled. For diving in underwater caves, one main reel with a guide and three spare ones are taken.

1/3 rule and air control. - When diving in caves, it is important to constantly monitor the remaining supply of gas, which for such dives should be calculated according to the 1/3 rule: a third for going forward, a third for the return trip and a third as an emergency supply in case of problems.

Additional light sources. - Diving into underwater caves and grottoes usually involves passing through a tight, confined space bounded by the arches of these voids, and often having a difficult relief. Sunlight does not penetrate here and darkness reigns here. Therefore, for the passage of such underwater tunnels, several sources of illumination are required, the action of which should be sufficient for the duration of the entire route.

Nitrogen anesthesia and safety. - When diving into underwater or flooded ground caves, it is worth remembering the specifics of such diving: nitrogen anesthesia in this case is felt more acutely than in open water. "Nitrogen intoxication" can cause disorientation in space, therefore, when cave diving, it is forbidden to dive in caves to a depth of more than 40 m.

Cave diving is a great way to go from simple forms of diving to more complex ones with the possibility of improving professional skills. Such dives allow you to admire the unique landscapes of underwater caves and grottoes, meet rare species of marine life and, possibly, become the discoverer of previously unknown grottoes. And, although this is considered potentially dangerous, with a competent approach and compliance with all safety rules, cave diving can give one of the most vivid impressions of contact with the mysterious underwater world.

The Yucatan Peninsula attracts divers and scientists like a magnet. The reason for this popularity is cenotes - holes in limestone grottoes that form underwater caves. About 2 thousand of such entities are officially registered. They are the ones that are accessible to visit, researched and safe. In fact, there are much more cenotes - about six thousand. However, for an exciting pastime, there are enough available ones.

Source of legends. Underwater caves

Maya Indians called underwater caves- cenotes are the gates to the afterlife. It was in these caves that they performed various magical rites and sacrifices (including human ones). However, if so many legends did not exist about these voids, they would be worth inventing. We can safely say that a trip to America will not be good enough if you do not visit at least one entrance to the abyss.

Gran Cenote: the fairest of the splendid

Despite the fact that the lakes are enchanting with their unique beauty, there is a rating of the "most". The top five published by National Geographic include Gran Cenote Lake.

Located four kilometers from the ancient Indian city of Tulum, a giant dip makes an indelible impression. The most are forgotten, one has only to see this miracle. The reservoir is a deep "passage into the abyss", on the banks of which bizarre tropical giants grow. The surface of the lake is decorated with water lilies, and the clear water beckons to the bowels of the earth.

Mysterious labyrinth

At first, it may seem that swimming in the lake is not interesting - at the surface, the area of the reservoir is small. But immersed in warm water (its temperature never drops below 24 ° C), divers discover a stunning labyrinth. The underground part of the Gran Cenote stretches for many kilometers. However, you should not go far: in the contemplation of bizarre stone figures, time flies unnoticed. In addition, having decided on the underwater one, it is impossible to resist the temptation to consider everything in the smallest detail - the water is so transparent that clear visibility remains even at a distance of sixty meters.

All cenotes are beautiful and attractive in their own way. But Gran Cenote deserves its place on the list of the best: it is perfect for diving. That is why, once having found themselves on the green shore, many strive to return here again and again.

Renowned photojournalist Kurt Bowen specializes in extreme underwater photography... He took part in dozens of expeditions in different parts of our planet, photographing different places that have not yet been stepped by a human foot.

In his works, Kurt Bowen uses the author's photography technology, which includes the installation of underwater LED lights, interval shooting and other techniques that allow you to get amazing night photos of mysterious underwater caves and springs.

The Bahamas is one of the richest places in the world in terms of variety of diving sites, difficulty level and an abundance of experiences. This underwater cave is located on the island of Abaco... Its depth is 94 meters and it has many lateral branches. To get a night photo of the entrance to the cave, about 70 frames were taken:

For this cave, Kurt Bowen used only natural light and time-lapse photography:

Dominican Republic... The pool in the cave was illuminated with a large number of LED underwater lights:

Cave entrance... The snapshot is assembled from 100 separate frames. There are people in the frame for the scale:

Weeki Wachee Springs Amusement Park in Florida. Limestone underground caves serve as a natural pool here:

Emerald green waters grotto "forty fathoms" in Florida. Underwater LED lights were used to illuminate at night:

Bahamas. Emerald green waters Crocodile cave and the moon. We emphasize once again that this very difficult shots in terms of staging. To get such photos, you need to install a large number of LED lights under the water, as well as illuminate the banks:

El Chicho cave in the Dominican Republic:

Ginny Springs, Florida:

Natural well(cenote) on the Yucatan Peninsula:

Small salt spring, Florida:

Probably my strongest impression of the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula was cenotes. A cenote is a cave, a depression, a depression, part of it is necessarily filled with water. They are very different - these are closed caves and just small depressions-pools. The name came from the language of the Maya Indians from the word ts "onot (" tsonot "," well "). The Maya called cenotes" gates to the kingdom of the dead "and considered their waters sacred. Cenotes in Yucatan are huge, rather every self-respecting Mexican can have a country house with its own cenote in the yard :) On the territory of our hotel in Playa de Carmen there were 6 cenotes, 4 of which are equipped for swimming. On the way to Chichen Itza in the town of Valladolid there are also several cenotes. Even visitors there do not bother much, there is enough space The water is refreshingly cool, but not icy and at the same time crystal clear and transparent!

Let's plunge?

Cenotes (Spanish cenote, "cenote") are natural sinkholes formed from the collapse of the arches of limestone caves in which underground waters flow. Cenotes are found in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and the nearby Caribbean islands. In the past, they were used by the ancient Maya Indians as water sources and places for sacrifices.

This is how the cenotes look on the territory of our hotel Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort, Spa & Nature Park, Mexico
At first glance, it may seem that this is just a small lake in the shade of mangrove trees, but in fact these are quite deep caves (up to 5-10 m) with flowing cool crystal clear water, sometimes a river flows out of the cenote and flows into the sea:

The cenote bears the name "Orchid":

It's +30 outside, but the water is refreshingly cool, but not icy, and the mangroves create a shadow around:

Now let's move on to the so-called. large cenotes, which are equipped for bathing, have showers and changing rooms. The cost of visiting is 2-6 dollars. While in Chichen Itza, I simply chose one of those cenotes that were on the way focusing exclusively on pictures.

Cenote Ik Kil - located opposite the Dolores Alba Chichen Itza hotel, probably the closest to the most famous Mayan temple complex:

When a couple of tourist buses arrive there to / from Chichen Itza, the number of swimmers and the noise they create increases dramatically. But, believe me, there is enough space for everyone, and people mostly gather near the stairs and do not swim to the depth:

But after only 15-20 minutes, the tourist group leaves the cenote and a real fairy tale begins. A huge cave with falling waterfalls, hanging vines and a ray of sun bursting from behind the clouds:

If you are in Mexico, don't miss it! :)

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